Can I be honest with you? I’m actually not super familiar with the core range of Springbank. I mean, I’ve had my fair share of Springbank whiskies, even once sitting down to taste 13 single cask Springbank 21yo in one go. But the 10yo, 15yo and 18yo?
Yeah, I’ve had a quick taste of them in the past, at a tasting or during a festival, but I never sat down with a glass in the comfort of my home, giving it the time and attention a whisky deserves. Well, now is finally the time to cross off one of those three, as I’ll carefully assess the Springbank 18 Years Old.
Springbank 18 Years Old (46%, OB, 2015)
Nose: Oh yes, this is just lovely. Some brine, a hint of diesel, sweet peat smoke, plenty of minerals and an abundance of sherry influence, without ever being too dominant. Mainly lovely dried red fruits, but also a touch of aniseed.
Taste: While 46 percent is nothing to sneeze at, this tastes like it was bottled at a higher percentage even. To begin with, this is quite spicy, with cumin and cracked black peppercorns. Full-bodied with rum raisins, crisp notes of peat, and some almond paste and rubber.
Finish: Dry with lingering brine and peat, and soft red fruits.
Score: 89
If it weren’t for the finish, which I find a tad too dry, I wouldn’t have had a problem upping this to a 90 point rating. Just lovely stuff.
Photo: Master of Malt
